


Day 206

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [206]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25511065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Relationships: Merrill/Noll (Dragon Age OC)
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [206]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 206

Noll brought over some baked goods that Wendy had baked when they went to visit Merrill. They had invited her to come live with Wendy and them a few weeks ago but Merrill refused. She said that she needed her own workspace to contain some of her more dangerous experiments. Noll could relate, they had their hidden tree hideout for a similar reason, though Noll never expected to find a demon lazing under the red maple.

Merrill thanked them for the pastries but didn’t seem to find as much joy in eating them as noll expected. She sat dejectedly in her chair, not paying much attention to anything. Merrill without a whimsical smile was like the sky without the sun.

“What’s on your mind?” they asked. Merrill gave a little start, as though she were surprised.

“What?” she yelped. “Nothing! I’m not thinking of anything, or rather I guess I’m thinking about everything, as usual.”

Her eyes slid to a wooden carving of a halla that Hawke had given her as a gift. Noll wasn’t worried that she would go back to Hawke, Merrill made it pretty clear that wasn’t an option but Noll sometimes felt like her second choice. It also hurt to see Merrill sad, and Hawke was an easy target to blame.

“You know what will make you feel better,” Noll said. “Some good old fashioned fun.”

“If you’re looking for fun, you might want to go somewhere else,” Merrill said. “I’m not a fun person, I’m a dangerous person.” Whatever had happened between her and Hawke had really hit her self-esteem.

“Not at all,” Noll said. “I’ve spent enough time with you to know that you are one of the most fun people I have even met. We just need to find the right kind of fun. I’m thinking some pranks are in order.”

“Pranks?” Merrill looked confused.

“Kind of like what I do to ass-hole nobles but not as mean-spirited,” they said. “We should pay Hawke a visit and mess with him.”

Merrill was still unsure but agreed. Together they made their way up to Hightown. It was rare for Noll to travel there during the day, they had almost forgotten how many dirty looks the humans here gave elves.

“Is it like this for you every time you come up here,” Noll asked. Merrill didn’t immediately answer, she was busy getting a stray cat to chase a bit of string. Noll decided not to repeat their question.

They made it to Hawk’s manner without too much trouble and, fortunately, Hawke himself was not there. Noll helped Merrill scale the wall and climb into Hawke’s bedroom.

“What sort of thing should we do?” Merrill asked.

“The trick,” Noll said, “is to do something that will be annoying or unpleasant without being painful or irreversible.” They poked their head out of the bedroom and looked around. There was another room across the hall.

“What’s in there,” they asked. Merrill looked over their shoulder.

“That’s Hawke’s mother’s room,” Merrill said. “He hasn't gone in there since she died.”

“Well, we won’t go in there then,” Noll said. They had a brief moment of hesitation. Hawke had been through a lot… but then again so had everyone.

“Short-sheeting the bed is a classic,” Noll said. They returned to the bedroom and Noll taught Merrill how to make a bed so that you couldn’t fit all the way under the sheets. It was a good start but there was something missing.

Noll was thinking about what they should do when the door creaked open and a large dog bounded in. It went up to Merrill and licked her face.

“Who’s a good boy?” Merrill whispered. Not the best job at sneaking but dogs could do far worse to intruders than cover them with slobber. Though it did give Noll another idea.

“When the dog poops what happens to it?” they asked.

“I think Bodahn puts it in a barrel out back until the gong collector comes by. Why?”

“I have an idea of a present we can leave for your champion. Do you know where he keeps his shoes?”


End file.
